San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-06-16
A Card From Mr.. Sutherland.

Hulnc, pOSoSNh JSu W 1000 ''N $50
my causes sake. / will not enter
upon o course Of argument for pro-
hibition, thus intruding myself on
ground that is prohibited, but wish
TO write in explanation of my part in
(midst of the riot OF the 7th inst.
II was with no purpose OF being
heard or seen that l went to the
meeting on the new government lot
I wanted to hear Bishop Turner. l
knew, or understood, that he was call.
ed by the committee OF colored pro-
hibitionists OF San Antonio to address
them; for he is certainly one OF the
ablest and most distinguished men Of
the colored race. He is said to have
done mere than any other man to
have carried Atlanta, Ga, for pro-
hibition. His people have rs many
civil rights as the whites; and that
he was kindly received and politely
treated by the executive committee of
the white prohibitionists is not in
evidence that he came here to tell the
whites what they ought to do. Nor
is it true that he was the first distin-
guished speaker from abroad Tor
something to that effect to speak
here on prohibition, as charged on MS
by the Times, for Rev. DR.. +. T.
Mitchell, of Eastern Texas, had ad-
dressed a large gathering at Turner
hull. But should he have been the
first speaker from abroad invited to
address us, this would cut no figure
in minds of any other character or
calibre than that of tho editor of the
Times"
But to return to my narrative. 1
went to the meeting alone, after sup
per, picking my teeth and as cool MS
cucumber. The crowd was then
gathering, and it was not difficult to
see that mischief was brewing. A
few prohibitionists were busily en-
gagged firmly planting a big goods
box and surrounding it with torches,
as the moon was not yet up. 1t was
no time to be neutral, so marched
to the place where the offering was
to be made, ready for service or for
sacrifice, as the case might demand.
After some preparations and delay
the bishop came upon the scene.
Judge Brooker attempted to intro
duce the subject and the speaker.
But this attempt was futile. No
human voice could have been heard
above that roar. He got down, and
the pastor of Bishop Turner's church
in San Antonio, essayed the same
task, and met with the same success.
Then the bishop was prevailed upon
to mount the rostrum, some persuad
ed that the speaker of the evening
would be heard. But in vain Wav-
ing his hat he got got down. No
prohibitlonists would be tolerated on
their ground and at their own meet J
ing. No human voice could be heard.
Then came calls for Lockwood, when
he wormed his way through the crowd
and mounted the big box, and
lost the opportunity of his life! In
stead of using the influence he evil
IDENTIFY had over his hordes to quiet
them, he confirmed his character as q
ward politician of the oaser sort by
cowardly attacking and kicking an
enemy he had at his mercy. This
fred the soul of one of tie audience
to such degree of Indignation that
that as Lockwood descended on one
side of the box this citizen assembled
the other, and planting himself square
in the middle determined to face and
fight the Infatuated mob to the bitter
end, and, had not the torch-bearers
marched away he would have con-
quered a peace or cleared the field.
For half an hour the missiles flew, the
storm ragged and the thunders shook
the very earth at every attempt of
that native born Texan to speak: and
that or the very ground bought and
baptized by Sutherland blood.
But why call this the second bat
tie of the Alamo? Because it was
fought under the shadow of that holy
Shrine, on that ground so sacred to
every lover of freedom and for the
dearest principle of lfe-the right to
freely speak the honest thoughts and
convictions of warm heart
The question now rapidly arose to
the magnitude of eternal truth. Cory
forms were seen starting from their
resting places, while every stone of
the Alamo cried out, "The blood of
the mighty dead has stained mel!
Prohibition and anti-prohibition, in
dividualities and personalities were
lost sight of while the angel of the
oonvenant stretched forth his hand
and saved the day. The slain of the
Lord were many. Nor could any
thing be more gratifying than the
evident determination of our best and
most thoughtful citizens to put down
that which roots itself in all that is
bad in human nature, and extinguish-
es all that is good, in the settled con-
fidence that otherwise it will put down
the liberties of our land.
A. II. SUTHERLAND.